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Give War A Chance
Journey for Humanity and Accountability - Day 9
Being in the deep south has been a very interesting experience. As George's approval numbers hover down some where in Congress's range and approval for their war is shrinking, we have encountered very little opposition to our message, but the opposition we have encountered has been vile, abusive and potentially dangerous.In Houston, one of the more active kingdoms of war profiteering, we encountered no protest. As a matter of fact, while we were stationed on a bridge over I-10 holding our "Impeach Bush and Cheney" and "Troops home now" signs, we had almost 100% approval. People were actually stopping their cars to applaud us and in some cases, join us.
Our next stop was New Orleans where the policies of BushCo are still harming our brothers and sisters. The various governments are gobbling up land in poor, but hard-working class areas to be used for upscale housing and/or casinos. We meet with several grass-roots organizations who are feeding people, helping them find homes and jobs. There was also not one peep of opposition to our message because the people of New Orleans intimately understand the reasons that BushCo should be impeached.
The fun started, however when we got to Montgomery, AL where right off the bat, the Secretary of the Montgomery Repugs confronted me and displayed his ignorance by stating that he loves George Bush and that George had "nothing" to do with the war in Iraq. When some Veterans for Peace confronted him and asked him why he didn't enlist to go to Iraq if he was such a strong supporter of the mayhem, he let us know that he was "courageously" supporting the war effort by staying in America, working and "paying his taxes." Now that the encounter with this brave patriot has been shown all over cable news, every pipsqueak repug with a bad toupe will be confronting me to get his 15 minutes of fame.
In Montgomery, our Caravan met with many nice folks who were on the side of impeachment and ending the war with us, but we also ran into a couple of people who were upset with BushCo for different reasons. On a beautiful, magnolia tree lined street where our group was hosted for a pot-luck, a home had the sign: "Give War a Chance." The homeowner and father of five told us that George Bush "is a "pu**y" and that if he were President, he would "wipe out" the entire Middle East with nukes. He has a service age daughter whom he said he would be proud for her to go to Iraq and he would be thrilled if she got some "confirmed kills." Another gentleman driving down the street didn't know why we were so upset because America had a "civil war" so why can't Iraq "have one?" We all needed to be decontaminated on that visit!
At the School of the Assassins in Columbus, Ga and in Charlotte, NC, we ran into similar problems: police presence that seemed to be there to foster violence At both places the neo-Nazi, pro-war fascist group "Gathering of Eagles" came out to mostly try to intimidate us from our mission. At Ft. Benning, after we complained, the police kept them separate from us, but in Charlotte, the police refused saying that the Eagles had their rights to "freedom of speech." But the Eagles' freedom of speech has included physical threats against me and actual physical force against kids and women. When the Charlotte police were told this, they said that they couldn't keep them apart from our group until the Eagles actually did something. So I chose to stay away from the rally then go and perhaps cause them to hurt someone else because of my presence. Freedom of speech is one thing, but I don't believe that the First Amendment protects violent speech, especially if it is one of the neocons or their media supporters calling for increased violence in the Middle East. Nothing about our movement promotes or calls for violence and it would be swell if the CPD protected everyone's First Amendment rights, not just people whom they agree with. Gold Star Father, Carlos Arredondo, joined us in Charlotte with his display about the personal cost of war which doesn't affect the "Gathering of Chickenhawks" at all, in fact we believe that they are the ones who disgrace our children's memories and the memories of the fallen in Vietnam by supporting another 'Nam like quagmire.
It is my belief that for all human history, we have been giving "war a chance" and it has never worked. There has never been a "war to end all wars." No matter how much BushCo blather, peace cannot be spread by the use of force and democracy cannot be forced on a people at the end of a M-16. Congressional Democrats are busy throwing up smokescreens...or bones...to their "anti-war" left by their meaningless bills after they gave George 120 billion more dollars to wage these wars of aggression and potentially invade Iran.
As one of my peace idols, John Lennon said let's "give peace a chance."
For more information about the Journey for Humanity and Accountability, or to donate to help defray expenses, please go to www.thecampcaseypeaceinstitute.org
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66 Comments so far
Show AllGo cindy!
Good luck in your campaign to unseat Pelosi Cindy. I would be happy to donate to the effort once you get a web site set up for that purpose. Time to take out the trash!
Hi Cindy and God Bless you girl! Don't feel bad. I live in a white suburban district of Greater New Orleans and these idiots think that Iraq had something to do with 911. The South has an inferiority complex. To make up for that, many southerners act like they are super American patriots. It's like the muscle man who likes to arrogantly display his muscles; but he actually compensating for his small anatomy if you know what I mean. Thank you, Cindy, for campaigning against US policy of aggressive ultraviolence towards others.
Cindy is right that the ardent war supporters are also the most racist and violent of human kind. A really disturbing picture that I saved on my computer last year, is of Israeli children putting "messages" on bombs that are about to be dropped on the Gaza strip in that war last year. Even more disturbing was a Mother, in the background, smiling! We can trace our foreign policy directly to Israel, Kissinger, and the Tex-ass oil tycoons who have controlled this country for over 50 years. IMPEACH NOW!
Light & love, Cindy. Peace is the way.
"It is my belief that for all human history, we have been giving "war a chance" and it has never worked."
Not much of a student of history...
Aardvark, you're right.
It wasn't until totalitarian agriculture sunk it's roots into OUR CULTURE that war became a way of life. Many human cultures don't even think about waging war, but OURS does!
But war-loving cultures are evolutionarily bound to "lose representation in the gene pool." War has never worked in a way that improves the lives of the species collectively.
Fighting for Peace
Is like
F**cking for Virginity!
there are a couple of sentences here I would like to talk about.
One is a man from Southeastern USA saying that Bush did not chose to invade Iraq and by paying taxes he is being courageous. This person is who believes no American should learn Spanish even though his English is more worse than mine.
Será la causa de su caÃda. Las personas que viven eLas personas de los Estados Unidos del sudeste de América que cree que matanza es moralmente aceptable personifica todo que es malo entre los Estados Unidos de América en total. Cualquier persona que vive en el estado de Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Mississippi, Carolina del sur, etcetera. Quién carece intrÃnsecamente la inteligencia y cree que George W. Bush es un hombre honorable n los Estados Unidos del sudeste no tienen la habilidad de practicar lo que ellos predican para razones instintivos. Las personas quieren que usted sea la razón por qué la mayorÃa de los extranjeros odian a Americanos.
Translate THAT racist Alabaman. First though, learn proper English although I believe that may not be possible due to your lack of intelligence and your irreverence for life and human beings. People who live here are among the least intelligent, and most hypocritical of all Americans. As per their history, and as this article demonstrates, they are also among the most cruel and racist of Americans. This type of American tarnish the reputation of Americans from a global standpoint. Yet, they probably do not realize this, again because of their inherent lack of intelligence.
take what those of the Southeastern United States say to you with a grain of salt Ms. Sheehan. They want nothing more but to undermine your efforts for positive change and they are unable to respect the power of Reason because they are nothing but propagandized brainwashed racist fools.
PLEASE! everyone try to get to DC this Monday!
Gather at Arlington Cemetary Metro Stop (Blue Line) at 9:30 - Walk to Capitol starts at 10:00.
As always, it is best to park and ride in from one of the end-of-line stations.
Where to gather:
http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/ARLCEMET/arlcemet.html
Clicable system map:
http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/system_map.html
http://www.thecampcaseypeaceinstitute.org/
PLEASE! Everyone to DC this Monday, July 23. Call in sick if you have to.
Meet at Arlington Cemetary Metro Station at 9:30. Cindy's walk starts at 10:00.
As always, you should park and ride from an outlying station, especially since it is a workday.
http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/system_map.html
http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/ARLCEMET/arlcemet.html
I feel awe and reverence from Cindy, who is not dissuaded by the small, hateful, spiteful, nasty, ignorant, insular, violent, hypocritical, self-serving narcissists who are busy killing the planet or supporting its destruction. Even after "leaving" the peace movement, Cindy is continuing to deliver her message. For every one of us whose message of peace seems marginalized, she is a light in the darkness. Granny D and the two young men making their way across the US on foot are also humans I greatly admire, as was John Lennon.
Will we ever give peace a chance? If I can add to that collective voice, and perhaps help tip the balance by convincing the rare individual who hasn't made up his or her mind that peace is the answer and that we can save the planet, I will feel that this lifetime is not just a waste of time.
www.raycarlson.com
"It is my belief that for all human history, we have been giving "war a chance" and it has never worked."
Not much of a student of history…
This statement refers to those who start wars, and their agression ultimately never works.
Hitler's dreams of a unified, socialist-and-untermenschen-free Europe ended in horrific bloodshed and nothing else.
Kennedy/Johnson/Nixon's objective of a capitalist, domino-free Indochina ended in 3.5 million dead and nothing else,
Bush's dreams of a corporate-controlled Middle East are turning out similarly.
...and no one exactly knows what the millions slaugntered in the trenches of Belgum and France in WW1 died for....
Brava! Cindy!
Get this brilliant lady into the US Senate!
A model American. If the rest of the US gets to be more like her, things will change, and Americans will no longer have to endure the shame and the pain of the present disgraceful situation.
I want the war to go on an on,if peace should happen my profits will end ,I would have to go back to working for a living.
Surely you have made enough on this war, to never have to work again.
History..the same insanity over and over again with a few heros here and there...should I just go to the beach and accept this is all we are capable of?
Impeach Cheney...HR 333.....Dennis Kucinich the one with both heart and courage.
I am so glad to see Cindy come back to the fight for peace. Her legend continues to grow.
Cindy Sheehan, as cool as she may be, is too polarizing a figure. I thought she retired from this krappe...and yet, today, we ahve an essay from her everyday. Trust me, I'm against the war, against the NEO cons and am ready to storm the Bastille......yet i think Sheehan should bow out like she said she was going to do.
Isn't it time we undo Lincoln's big mistake and let the South secede from the U.S. ?
Cindy, why don't you walk door to door and try to get a march going throug the streets of these cities as you go? I think that would be even more powerful.
Global capitalism needs war like humans need oxygen.
An open reply to andersdl and Sir Melvin:
Did it ever occur to you that not all residents of the Southeast think alike? I live in South Carolina, one of the reddest of the red states. And you know what? In 2004, over 40% of this very red state voted for Kerry! Look it up.
What are the implications of this? Walk down a southern street, and one out of three people you meet may have more in common with your politics than you think.
I am sorry that some redneck idiots and their friends were rude to Cindy. I am sorry that I cannot persuade more of my fellow South Carolinians to become more liberal. But I am not sorry for where I live.
Please realize that your prejudiced words are hurtful to those of us trying to make a difference.
Go girl and good luck with your upcoming march. Maybe it's time for a female Martin Luther King to get citizens back on the street demanding a voice in our government. But be careful as there are a lot of boneheads and misguided fools out there who could pose a physical threat. These neo-nazi's are a pain and it disgusts me that they are given free rein in our country. Being a neo-nazi seems to me to be a group that wishes to overthrow the government and by law they can be restrained and imprisoned.
boffo23,
I agree that we should not generalize about any individual or group. At the same time there clearly is a white angry male trend and it seems stronger in the SE of the US. Of the 40% of South Carolina votes you say were cast for Kerry in '04, one must subtract black and other non-white voters, women, sexual minorities, etc. What percentage of white men in South Caroline voted for Kerry? Is it near single digits?
PLEASE! Cindy gets plenty of praise already, eveyone needs to take action. GO TO DC this MONDAY, JULY 23...
Gather at Arlington Cemetary Metro Stop (Blue Line) at 9:30 - Walk to Capitol starts at 10:00.
As always, it is best to park and ride in from one of the end-of-line stations.
Where to gather:
http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/ARLCEMET/arlcemet.html
Clicable system map:
http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/system_map.html
http://www.thecampcaseypeaceinstitute.org/
Having never heard of "Gathering of Eagles" I found it impossible not to check out their website. There, I found the following:
"I was never so proud to be an Eagle as I was today, when we literally intimidated the moonbats to the extent that Cindy Sheehan drove by the demonstration site, saw what was happening, and DROVE AWAY!
It was awesome. George Samek, advance man extraordinaire, had Charlotte just waiting for us."
Wow! Hey, that's GREAT! What else could we possibly consider our civic duty to be than to intimidate those we disagree with from stating their opinion. God bless democracy.
Thank you Cindy, also for exposing the "Democrats" for what they are
Hope you run against Pelosy.
I don't live in your state, but I can tell you I'll NOT vote for the Dems (just because they are Dems), and neither for the Repubs - they are simply two sides of the same coin.
I'll vote Green/Libertarian/Independent, whatever is available. Never for the lesser of the two evils, never. That's what has brought us here
Although I almost died(was almost murdered)and was often threatened and assaulted in Alabama as a young white supporter of Civil Rights in the early 60s,I must take exception to the stereotyping of Southerners. There were/are manymanymany really fine people of all races in every state in the Lands of Dixie. Please don't fall into the trap of PREJUDICE or you will become the enemy. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE-PEACE.
"ALL WE ARE SAYING,'IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE'".
I live in Charlotte, NC and went to the rally. There were many more supporters than "counter-protesters" -- its just us supporters were "disadvantaged" due to our considerate behavior. Even so, if it came to a fight, I think the supporters would have won hands down because our anger runs deeper and "burns with clarity"; whereas, the so-called "eagles" were more delirious with misdirected anger and unfounded hatefulness.
But what good would any conflict have accomplished, and I suppose that is why the Sheehan folks decided to move the assembly to a safer location (Talleys Green Grocery) ---- although I knew as soon as she didn't show up, that the "scavengers....err, I mean eagles" would claim "victory". I had hoped Charlotte would make a better showing of itself, but I'm not surprised.
Lastly, I'd like to add that I also take issue with those who have made generalized derogatory statements regarding the People of the south. I was born in the north (Buffalo, NY), but have lived in North Carolina now for almost 30 years. It took me awhile, but I have come to consider myself a "southerner" and I care deeply about the south and the many fine People who reside here.
Peace,
Ken Hausle
* I support HRes333 - Impeach the VP
We hear and say, "Give peace a chance" but there's a slight problem here methinks: Where does 'PEACE' come from? Where does it originate?
I think "peace arises in people".
-But obviously not *all* people.
Many humans don't have much of a semblance of 'PEACE' inside them, and so they reflect their inner selves outwardly, -onto a suffering world, which then has to endure their abhorrent antics.
A *peace-full* people don't need to carry tons of weapons around with them, ~ only those ill-at-ease and filled with fear envisage that 'all the world and his dog' are out to get them! :(
The poor retarded things who tried to usurp Cindy's efforts to bring some light into that corner of N. Carolina are not peaceful beings, they are disturbed individuals, they have a *dis-ease* and LACK of PEACE deep within them, and so their fear and hatred subsequently spews out, -showering their surroundings with poisonous effluent.
It *IS* important to try to get through to this sort of breed of knuckle-dragging hominids, but it's hard work. [I've tried!] Due to their lack of mental and emotional development, their sorry plight is not quickly overcome.
Of course, if our mass media was owned and run by wise and ethical people, -those with a shred of morality about them, then said media could be helping these "Regressive Aggressives" to get up to speed along with the rest of civilisation; but as things stand, the media habitually plays to the lowest minds and emotions, so it's very much a part of the problem.
I think we would benefit mightily from a more concerted attempt to run our own media operations and outlets. My input aside, -there is often a great deal of sensible, intelligent comment on Common Dreams, - it's a shame that more folk aren't able to benefit from it.
With careful and very patient work, I believe we could finally help the less well-evolved to break free of their narrow confines and join us in *loving* the human race, not misanthropically fearing it.
++++++++++++++++++++
'Western' people sometimes believe themselves to be somehow 'better' than, (eg) a race of people living in a dense jungle somewhere, - assuming that their 'Degree In Pre-digested Knowledge' from 'the University of Very Important Things' somehow makes them *better* human beings.
Huh! I haven't yet managed to email *God* -in person- but I'm told that our Maker [actually] values a little kid in the back end of Borneo JUST as much as 'Senator Soldout' in Coldturkey, Alabama!
--Maybe more so! :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~ I was recently entertained by a group of Pygmy musicians, the 'Baka' tribesfolk, who live deep within the jungle of Cameroon. They have a thriving culture, REAL culture! –based on joyous creativity which has nothing to do with egomania and vacuous showmanship.
Baka people are completely integrated with their natural surroundings and enjoy a highly sustainable way of life, they do not go to war or threaten others with knives or guns, nor wreck their environment as we do with our rapacious Western vandalism and exploitation.
The Baka people make music at many different hours of the day, using, until recently, only instruments handcrafted by themselves, and are gifted with wonderfully intricate, well-developed vocal talents...
(Here's a link to a bit more about them) : http://www.bakabeyond.net/Baka_mainpage.html
When I was close to these performers I was aware of the attitude many in the West would have towards these gentle folk: if Baka folk visited the more feral towns of the USA and elsewhere, they would be harried and possibly harmed, by the likes of those who mistakenly believe they are more "civilized" -just because they possess the trappings and novelties of a society which is often quite delusional, over-rich, aggressive beyond any rationale, and which has a debased, phoney, twisted, money-led culture... and yet...
...somehow many in the West still manage to think they are *superior* to the likes of the Baka folk. - A wonder to behold!
_______________
Thanks for daring to enter the jaws of hell's kitchen Cindy, you're a 'braver man' than many of the men on Capitol Hill ! :)
And thanks for 'walking your talk' Ken, and spreading a little light in the direction of those still somewhat beclouded.
I can't believe the racist ignorance of people who come to commondreams and say it would have better to forgo the civil war! Clearly none of you saying that are the descendants of slaves who would have been killed, tortured, and denied basic freedoms for hundreds more years if they hadn't been stopped.
The following video says it all. It must end. They must be impeached. We've all been lied to.
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/64513/detail/
All Bu$h is saying is give war a chance.
again and again and again ...
All Dick is saying is give war a chance.
ADD all the msm, neocons and the morons in Congress who fund it.
Chickenhawk poser bravado. Threatening a mom who lost her son to the looting, murdering invasion of their criminal oligarchy. Fascists, the worst of cowards, try to compensate for their yellow streak by waving the flag as a mob. But as usual, they're hiding behind their Gestapo.
lo Q - Who said anything about the Civil War shouldn't have been fought? I totally missed that one. And your Post indicates "more than one" - Plural. Please clarify..........
http://www.sheehanforcongress.us -- we're a self-organizing group of Sheehan supporters preparing for Cindy's all-but-certain '08 campaign. Please check out our web site and sign up!
Hooray for CINDY!
THIS TIME we will be CERTAIN that you will KNOW our gratitude AT ALL TIMES,
WON'T WE, now FOLKS?!
That was an AMAZING interview on Hardball! How you have the courage to get up there and say it like it is amazes me, and inspires us ALL~~
(Please remember to take your vitamin C....)
i recently was debating with such a chickenhawk on youtube - "yokeup" a shameless supporter of bush. check out these remark in his comments section:
"Yokeup | July 17, 2007
Hey, I do like the yoggi bear thing, that is funny...
Yes, I support the war, I support the President who was put in Authority over this Country by God.... Yes I support President Bush.
Thank you for asking and God bless you guys... in spite of our differences, Caroline and I would have you over for a BBQ, southern style and love to just hang out and bash through some of these discussions.... we'd win the arguments of course.... but it would still be fun.
take care and God bless you"
" Yokeup | July 18, 2007
Ignorance is a bummer.... and there is a lot of it to go around. The fact that this country has not been attacked since 911 speaks to the truth of the value of the war. My memory is not so short as to forget what life was like after the attack and preventing another attack is the number one priority of our President. He is doing a great job.
You don't underestand and I praise God that your way of thinking is not running this country.
Be blessed, God loves you and His continuous comparrison to sheep is confirmed through your comments... but we still gotta love ya."
this horrible buffoon pretends he is some great evangelist yet loves bush and loves this war. i actually ran into one of the 19% braindead fools who are part of this tragedy!
lo Q. Lellity
I would have wanted the slaves to escape north to freedom.
War was not the answer for the South either. Americans have been fed a lot of lies about how glorious war is.
Maybe it would have been better if the South had been a separate nation and faced failure with its own policies. Sanctuary and help should have been given to any slave who was able to get out of the South and people opposed to slavery should have been helping get the slaves out.
Harriet Tubman was a great person and very overlooked in our history. There are probably more people, unknown to us now, who like her worked on the underground railway to bring people to freedom. They are ignored in our history books in favor of the glorification of the Civil War and the American love for war tactics and hero worship of the military.
In many locations there are reenactments of the battles of the Civil War. Where is the reenactment of the underground railway? (which I think could be very exciting.)
The Civil War imo was not fought to free slaves. That war was fought to keep the South as part of the United States.
If this man who wants to take out the Mid-east with nuclear weapons had his way, from whence would he get the petrol he needs to run his car? Maybe he could buy a 7-seat cycle for his family (there's one on offer in a store in Dublin - I did a Google search yesterday).
Also, the Russians who (somebody remind him, please!) still have a nuclear arsenal would naturally complain about the resulting radio active dust cloud (some of which would reach the West US coast, by the way), possibly by throwing something in the direction of Alabama.
Bye-bye Bible belt?
Just goes to show you that we should have allowed the South to secede in 1860. Most of the people down there, excluding the ones with brains which is a minority, are from another planet or so it seems.
godlessrant July 20th, 2007 12:30 am
i recently was debating with such a chickenhawk on youtube - "yokeup" a shameless supporter of bush. check out these remark in his comments section:
I read your examples and the thing that gets to me and always will is how those lying neonazicons ALWAYS invoke God's name into their murderous jingoistic views.
I agree that the south should have been allowed to secede. This country is too damn big and unmanageable. The slavery issue would have resolved eventually because the world at large found it unacceptable by the later 1800's. I think the quest for empire has been the underlining motive since the beginning with the founders.
Thank you, Cindy, and thank you to everyone who takes action and gives voice to the need for peace and to impeach Bush/Cheney.
I would be there on 7/23/07 in D.C. but for having to care for 2yo and 7yo boys and limited funds for travel. I will be there in spirit and will call my Congressmen on that day to implore them to get out of Iraq and impeach the warmongers.
Sincerely, AnnRN - "working for health and social justice for all"
at http://www.DefendHealth.org
UNCOMMONDREAMS: Interesting and evocative post. Just yesterday I was contemplating the issue you raised, that mankind has SCANT representations of peace to emulate. By and large societies (at least in Western culture) have moved from one war to another. One reason why I "turned off" history was it seemed to me little more than a chronicle of the scores of war: redundant inanity.
It's true peace must begin within individuals, as it's been embodied by the likes of Christ, Gandhi and precious few others. EVERY time each one of us elects to turn the other cheek, agree to disagree, we PRACTICE peace... and God knows, it's an intellectual muscle that's been atrophying far too long!
Cindy, You are doing great.
You have peace and truth in your heart and have stood up to the test of the haters who try to provoke us all to violence which is the root of our fear and endless wars.
I loved the way you recomended Gen Smedly Butler's "war is a rackett" as a must read.
We need a leader like you who takes a chance for peace.
Love, Jim
Siouxrose
War is the exception and has caused us all nothing but pain and anguish. In order to get people to fight in war it has to be glorified. Most people innately will not go to war. Most of us find it difficult to kill.
The US was economically strong after WWII because the other nations had been destroyed by war. The nations that can avoid war will imo be the economic winners. Nations that invest in war will win a pyrrhic victory because their social structure will be weakened by using funds for war instead of for education and health and the raising of children.
The US is being weakened from within by using limited resources for war imo. And that war is being driven by people who are making profits on the war and on oil.
More power to you Cindy! Trying to drum anything worthwhile into a dumb southerner's head isn't for a person with a weak stomach! Lincoln should have left the whole south to languish in it's ignorance and let them succeed from the union. Everyone concerned would have been the better for it.
I moved to the south from the "west coast" five years ago. I can never get used to this southern christian bullshit that allows for all this racism and bigotry. The rest of the county views these people for who they are...abunch of uneducated toothless hillbillies. This is George Bush's "base". Good luck America.
colleen,
I don't believe in war, nor do I think it glorious. But still, you don't know how long the confederacy would have kept its slaves, or what would ultimately have become of them when slavery did end - or, indeed, what sort of laws would have kept african americans poor and unable to immigrate. I remember reading about the underground railroad in elementary school; but the south could have erected a "berlin" wall to stop it from happening once they had their own country. But it is so easy for white people living in the 00's to sit back and say that slaves would have been just fine. With two Irelands, two Koreas, with India and Pakistan, you have two very hostile nations, sometimes pointing nuclear weapons at one another today.